Salahuddin Backs Tanzid, Emon for Breakthrough in T20Is

Bangladesh assistant head coach Mohammad Salahuddin has expressed confidence in young openers Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Parvez Hossain Emon, backing them to deliver in international cricket as they prepare for the upcoming three-match T20I series against the Netherlands.

Salahuddin believes the duo, who were instrumental in Bangladesh’s historic ICC U-19 World Cup triumph and have been playing together since their youth days, have the potential to become key figures at the top of the order in white-ball formats.

"Emon and Tamim have been playing together since the under-19s. Most importantly, they have the experience of winning a World Cup. They can play fearless cricket and have the shot-making courage required at this level," Salahuddin told Cricbuzz. "Their game awareness and mutual understanding have been improving steadily, and that bodes well for our future."

Tanzid, who made his T20I debut in May 2024, and Emon are expected to be central to Bangladesh’s strategy heading into the Asia Cup. According to Salahuddin, a stable opening partnership is crucial, especially as the team transitions following the exit of several senior players.

"We needed a strong opening pair after our experienced players left. If the openers are set, it gives us a significant boost," he said. "Instead of overhauling everything, we’re focusing on making small, meaningful adjustments for the team’s long-term benefit."

Salahuddin also addressed the team’s overall structure across formats. He said the Test and T20I squads are becoming more settled, but acknowledged that the ODI side is still a work in progress, particularly in the middle order.

"In Tests, we now have a settled side. Players have clarity about their roles. It’s the same in T20Is — there's a consistent pattern developing," he noted. "But in ODIs, there’s still some uncertainty, especially in the middle order. That area was long held by players like Shakib, Mushfiqur, and Mahmudullah, and we haven’t yet found solid replacements."

He added that players currently featuring in those positions in ODIs often don't bat there regularly in domestic cricket, which makes role adaptation during matches challenging.

"In one-day cricket, roles can change drastically — after 10 overs, or again after 30. You need to read the game and adapt, and that takes experience. Once our players learn to calculate and adjust accordingly, we’ll perform better in that format too."

The Bangladesh squad recently completed a fitness camp and is set to begin skill training at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday (August 15). The team is expected to move to Sylhet for the T20I series, scheduled to be held at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium starting August 30.